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How did Israel not make it into the conference on victims of terrorism?
JTA ^ | July 10, 2012 | Ron Kampeas

Posted on 07/11/2012 4:30:05 AM PDT by SJackson

How did Israel not make it into the conference on victims of terrorism?

By Ron Kampeas · July 10, 2012

The AP's Matt Lee, in an exchange with Patrick Ventrell, the State Department spokesman, wonders how Israel got left out of a conference on victims of terrorism in Madrid, and left out of undersecretary of state Maria Otero's speech to the conference.

Here's a sample of Otero's speech:

We should ensure that those survivors who wish to share their stories have the opportunity to do so on the world stage. By magnifying the voices of survivors, especially through international media, we have a unique chance to educate the world about the pain inflicted by terrorists. Though such awareness is tainted with pain and suffering, it is all the more powerful in discouraging radicalized individuals and empowering other victims to speak up against violent extremism.

Last September at the official launch of the Global Counterterrorism Forum, I had the privilege to introduce the premier of a film “Hear their Voices”, which tells the stories of eleven survivors of terrorist attacks from Pakistan, Jordan, Northern Ireland, Uganda, Turkey, Indonesia, India, Spain, Columbia [sic] and the United States. The film, which was produced by the Global Survivors Network, is a powerful plea for audiences around the world, especially those sympathetic to the grievances expressed by extremists, to recognize the human cost of terrorism and I am delighted that our Spanish hosts are planning on showing this film here later this afternoon.

Here's Lee and Ventrell, at the State Department briefing yesterday:

QUESTION: I have an Israel-related question.

MR. VENTRELL: Yeah.

QUESTION: Under Secretary Otero was at a meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Coalition this morning in Spain (inaudible).

MR. VENTRELL: Okay.

QUESTION: She gave a speech or a short speech. Do you know about this?

MR. VENTRELL: I have no information on this (inaudible).

QUESTION: Okay. Well, it was released – it’s a tab on your website.

MR. VENTRELL: Okay.

QUESTION: Anyway, in it she goes through – this is a conference about victims of terrorism. And I’m curious to know why she doesn’t mention Israel or Israelis in her comments talking about victims of terrorism. Does the Administration believe that Israel and Israelis specifically have been victims of terrorism?

MR. VENTRELL: Well, of course, but --

QUESTION: Yes. But not --

MR. VENTRELL: Matt, I don’t have the details of the Under Secretary’s speech.

QUESTION: Well, this – this --

MR. VENTRELL: I know we have a forum with – let me finish.

QUESTION: -- grows out of the forum to which the Israelis have not been invited, which was talked about a little bit a month or so ago when the Secretary attended a meeting Istanbul.

MR. VENTRELL: Yeah, and I don’t have anything further for you.

QUESTION: Okay. So at the time the – someone came back and said that, yes, you were doing your best to get Israel included in these types of events. In the month that has passed, nothing has changed on that. Is that what you’re saying?

MR. VENTRELL: Again, Matt, I don’t have any details on this particular meeting. I’m happy to look into it. You’re – this is the first that I’m hearing about it.

Also noteworthy is the exchange, again between Ventrell and Lee (I think), after Ventrell expresses U.S. "concern" about the conclusions of an Israeli panel that declared West Bank settlement legal:

QUESTION: A quick follow-up on this. When you express your concern, is it just done from this podium, or is it done officially? Does someone pick up the phone and talk to someone in the Israeli Government and say we express displeasure?

MR. VENTRELL: I don’t know if we have raised this directly with the Israeli Government. I just read out our position here from the podium. I can check and see if our Embassy has raised it.



TOPICS: Editorial; Israel; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 07/11/2012 4:30:12 AM PDT by SJackson
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

A function of who's doing the inviting, America's influence in this group would be nil, in the unlikely event we chose to use it. Besides, many of these people think terror attacks on Israel are legitimate, the victims are simply getting what they deserve.

2 posted on 07/11/2012 4:34:10 AM PDT by SJackson (The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement)
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To: SJackson
..for the same reason the International Olympic Committee refuses to honor the murdered (by Arafart’s PLO) Israeli athletes from the 1972 Munich games - double standard and fear of Arab Petro-Dollars. Shameful.
3 posted on 07/11/2012 4:37:08 AM PDT by Netz (Netz)
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To: SJackson

$audi Pi$$lamic $$$$$$ rule$ with the$e creeps.

What’s this bit about the “lamps of liberty going out” all over the world.....AGAIN??

1939....AGAIN??


4 posted on 07/11/2012 6:01:40 AM PDT by Flintlock (THE TRUTH: It's the new hate speech..)
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To: SJackson

“How did Israel not make it into the conference on victims of terrorism?”

I don’t think they consider themselves victims.

Besides, most victims of terrorism are dead. The terrorists who did it are dead too. This must have been a small conference.


5 posted on 07/11/2012 9:15:03 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lame and ill-informed post)
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